


A Worthy Ally

by Sheeana



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 04:09:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26346889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheeana/pseuds/Sheeana
Summary: Justice and Hawke have a conversation.
Relationships: Anders/Male Hawke/Justice
Comments: 12
Kudos: 24
Collections: Black Emporium 2020





	A Worthy Ally

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CoaxionUnlimited](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoaxionUnlimited/gifts).



"Calm yourself," said Hawke, his hand on Anders's arm.

Not Anders; not right now. His eyes were bright and blue, incandescent with rage, and blind to all but the _injustice_ before him. Another mage whose escape plan had gone awry. Robbed of all his meager belongings, discarded, and left to rot in the middle of the street. It was brazen, even for a dark corner of Lowtown well past midnight. Usually they at least _tried_ to drag the body behind some crates or roll it over into a stagnant pool of water. Leaving someone to be found like this struck Hawke as both crass and sloppy.

He hadn't expected to find the mage alive even when he'd taken the job, but Justice had never been very amenable to reasoned arguments about anticipated outcomes. Hawke was beginning to regret telling Varric that he didn't need anyone else to accompany him for this one, that he and Anders were more than capable of sorting out a few bandits alone. He hadn't planned on vengeful spirits entering into the equation anywhere. A mistake he was unlikely to repeat.

"Do you not see what is before your eyes?" said Justice, snarling with a startling viciousness that looked _wrong_ on Anders's face. It was a difficult thing to witness. So many other expressions would have looked right: worry, fear, exhaustion, triumph, affection, occasional contentment, even anger, but never this sort of apoplectic, uncontrollable rage.

"I-" Hawke tried to say, but Justice interrupted, his fury unimpeded.

"You are a mage yourself! Does this meaningless slaughter of your own people not move your heart to action?"

"Of course I see it, but lighting up like a bonfire in the middle of Lowtown isn't going to help matters much at this point. Calm yourself." Hawke had wrapped his fingers around Anders's arm now, just above the elbow. He stroked his thumb back and forth once. It would have soothed the man; he wasn't holding out much hope that it would do anything for the spirit.

"Will you find the person who did this?" Justice demanded. "Will you ensure that whoever is responsible claims no other innocent lives?"

"Will it satisfy you if I say yes?" 

Justice set Anders's mouth and said nothing. There was still an angry tension radiating from him - or maybe it was just Hawke's intrinsic sense of the Fade, spilling out from the strange blue cracks in Anders's skin whenever Justice took control - but Justice hadn't moved to _do_ anything yet.

Taking it as an encouraging sign, if not a particularly reassuring one, Hawke gave his arm a squeeze. "We'll look for the people who did this. I promise."

The light in Anders's eyes seemed to flicker. It grew briefly brighter, and then diminished. "... Very well, mortal. Anders has placed his trust in you, over these past years. I shall do the same."

 _Trust_ was not the only thing Anders had placed in him, Hawke wanted to joke, but he expected it wouldn't go over especially well on this audience and with this timing. "I do try not to disappoint him," he said instead.

"He thinks highly of you," Justice said. He took a magnanimous tone, as though he were granting Hawke a great concession.

"And do you agree?" Hawke asked. _Dared_ to ask, rather. He generally knew better than to unnecessarily prod and poke at denizens of the Fade, but this one happened to be inhabiting the body of his lover, so he supposed an exception must be made.

"At first, I thought you a needless distraction from our cause," Justice replied. It had seemed something else was forthcoming, but Justice fell silent after that. He tilted his head downward. His eyes became fixed on Hawke's hand resting on his arm, his brow slightly furrowed. Hawke raised his eyebrows and stroked his thumb there again, experimentally. 

He was surprised when Justice seemed to _sigh_ , and leaned in closer toward Hawke. Hawke was afraid to breathe very much after that, in case it disturbed whatever peace had settled over them. He stood very still.

"It sounded like you had more to say, just then," he said, when nothing had happened for long enough that he deemed it safe to do so. He was terribly curious, suddenly, if Justice had any other thoughts on his relationship with Anders. He hadn't had much chance to ask, the handful of times he'd been able to speak with Justice in person. There had always been more pressing things to attend to than Hawke's idle curiosity.

"I had thought you a needless distraction, but you have proven yourself to be a worthy ally. You have saved many mages from unjust fates. And-" Justice hesitated. His frown deepened. 

"And?" Hawke prompted.

"You have been... honorable," Justice said, faltering and hesitant, fumbling almost _endearingly_ – for a spirit, anyway – "In other matters, as well."

"Ah. Well, I'm glad to hear that. I would hate to be considered _dishonorable_ in such matters."

"You jest."

"Yes, I do tend to do that."

"Anders enjoys it. It brings him a measure of peace, and the focus that comes along with it."

"That's good to know."

They were quiet for a while. Anders's eyes had dimmed even further, Justice's anger seemingly sated. Hawke relaxed, and drew him a little closer - without quite _intending_ to do so. The problem was that he still looked like Anders. He still felt and smelled and sounded like Anders. If it weren't for the glowing blue light and deeper voice, nothing at all would have seemed amiss.

"May I ask you something?" said Justice, finally breaking the silence.

"If you like. I may even have an answer."

"While it has not swayed him from our cause, it seems a great inconvenience, this feeling that he has for you. It is a heavy weight to bear. It presses in on all of his thoughts, and mine. Do you feel the same way? Is it not a burden, to feel such a thing?"

"By 'this feeling he has for me', do you mean 'love'?" Hawke said, amused. "I don't find it terribly inconvenient, no. Mildly, perhaps. Sometimes it makes my hands itch."

"There are so many things in this world I will never understand. Yet I do not sense any corruption in this. It is a... pleasant feeling, at times, if an unfamiliar one."

"You're welcome to it. More than enough to go around." It wasn't quite what Hawke had meant to say. He'd never learned not to blurt out whatever lay at the tip of his tongue, however inappropriate or ill-advised it might be. It got him into trouble, more often than not. And yet he didn't try to take the words back, once they were out and hanging in the air between them.

"You are still referring to love?" There was puzzlement in Justice's voice, incredulity. He lifted Anders's eyebrows. "I must misunderstand your intent. Do you mean to offer it to me?"

"Why not?" Hawke was aiming for _flippant_ , but likely fell closer to _anxious_. "You're part of him. That's not likely to change, and I knew what I was getting myself into from the start of this."

"Hm." Justice fell silent and looked down, apparently considering it. He opened Anders's mouth once, and closed it before he said anything. Finally he looked up at Hawke. "... Then I have a request, if I may."

"You may," said Hawke, rather more gently than he'd ever spoken to Justice before.

"Stand with us, in whatever may come."

"I have. I am. I will," Hawke promised. He leaned forward until his head was resting against Anders's temple. "You have my word."

"Thank you, Hawke."

He shivered. It was the first time he recalled Justice ever saying his name. There was a moment where he was staring right into Justice's eyes, and saw something vast and unknowable smoldering in their depths. His fingers tightened reflexively as he inhaled sharply, responding to it in kind. Then Justice – Anders – swayed on his feet, his hand going to his head. Conveniently, Hawke was already holding his arm. He steadied him as he came back to himself. "Easy, now. I've got you."

"Ugh," Anders groaned, "What just happened?"

"Nothing you need concern yourself about. Your spirit friend and I had a conversation, that's all."

"My friend?" Anders had a quizzical expression when he looked back up at Hawke. "You mean Justice?"

"I don't recall any other spirits currently sharing your body with you, so yes. Please tell me if I'm wrong about that; I'd rather know in advance, so I don't say anything rude."

Anders laughed, but it was a weak and hollow sound of sound. He sagged forward, letting Hawke take more of his weight as Hawke's arm came up around his waist. "I hope it was a good conversation. I'd hate to need to apologize for anything I've said to you."

"It certainly could have been worse."

Another chuckle, less haunted than the last. Anders rested his head against Hawke's shoulder. It was a mistake; doing so gave him a full view of the lost mage lying still and cold on the ground, exactly where they'd found him. Anders tensed. "We were too late," he said, dismayed.

"We did the best we could," Hawke replied. He pulled Anders into a tighter embrace, his hand coming up to the back of Anders's neck and cradling it. His fingertips brushed at the ends of Anders's messy hair. "We can't save everyone."

"We should find whoever did this. They'll do it again if no one stops them."

"Oh, don't you worry, I've already promised to rain down fire on their heads."

"Oh?"

"I thought it might help calm him down."

Anders frowned - the same sort of frown that Justice had worn, in fact - but seemed placated enough. "I'd appreciate it. We both would, I suppose. No one deserves to escape the Circle and end up like this."

"I agree." Hawke pressed an absent kiss to the side of Anders's head, and then pulled away from him. "Well, come on. We'd best get back. Our bed is much warmer than this miserable alley, it's almost dawn, and Bodahn will fret if we're not home before breakfast. We can worry about hunting down murderers tomorrow."

"You had me at 'our bed' and 'warm'," Anders said dryly. He took a deep breath as he drew himself up from his weary slouch, gripping his staff to keep himself upright. "All right. Tomorrow it is. Lead on, then."


End file.
